The present invention relates to a thermocouple drive assembly and more particularly, to a thermocouple drive which will position a thermocouple in a well in a hydrocarbon reactor without binding or breaking the thermocouple wire.
Catalytic reactors are extensively used in hydrocarbon processing. In the operation of these units it is desirable to make periodic measurements of temperature at a series of spaced locations in the reactor. Temperature measurements inside a reactor are commonly made by moving a thermocouple to different specific locations inside a thermowell mounted within the reactor. Motor driven thermocouple probe drives, frequently computer controlled, are used. However, thermocouples being generally long and thin have a decided tendency to bend, thus being rendered useless, when being pushed into a small opening such as a thermowell inlet.
It is an object of the present invention to obviate the foregoing problem by gripping and driving the thermocouple very close to the opening of the thermowell.